Rail support



A. L. BUTLER RAIL SUPPORT July 13', 1926.

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Deo.

July 13,1926.

l A. L, BUTLER RAIL SUPPQRT "Filed DBC. a, 1925 nur@ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Juiy i3, i926.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR L. BUTLER, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

nain SUPPORT.

Application filed December This invention relates to a rail support and particularly to an insulating rail support adapted for. use in supporting the third or live rail commonly used in electric railway systems.

The object oliA the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of rail support and particularly an insulating rail support, which may be constructed ot uni- Atorni height and at a minimum cost, which rcan be assembled in a minimum time, in which the parts are firmly secured together. i

To these ends, the rail support is pro 'ided 'with a cap member and a base member, each jirirovided with a socket having a bottom wall,

and an intermediate member, preferably ot l-insulating material which is interposed between said cap and base members and has .20 its ends extended into said sockets to engage the bottom walls thereof and thereby uniformly space the cap member from the `base member.

The sockets in the cap and base members are preferably cylindrical inshape, and the walls oi said sockets are provided with stationary and movable sections between which the ends ot' the intermediate member are iirmly clampedas will be described.

will be hereinafter described and particularly delined in the claims at the end of this specification.

ln the drawings illustrating the pre- 35 terred i'orin of the invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of an insulating rail support embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation ot the rail support shown in 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation with a portion in section of the insulating rail support shown in Fig. 1 looking toward the lett; Fig. a is a. section taken on the line .l1-L1 of l? ig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective ot one ot the clamping members to be reierred to.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated construction of rail support comprises a cap member 10 and a base member 12, both being preterably cast ot metal. The cap member 10 has provision as will be-described, for supporting the rail thereon, and the base 12 is adapted to be bolted to the usual toundation or support.

The Cap and base members 10, 12 are provided with sockets 111, 15 having bottom or end walls 16, 17, which are engaged by the and These and other features of the invention` 8, 1925; Serial No. 74,035.

ends ot an intermediate meniber 18 which is interposed between the cap and base mein bers 10, 12, and which serves to maintain the cap member 19 at a` predetermined elevation above the base member 12.

Provision is made for detachably clamping the ends ot' the intermediate ymember 18 ywithin the sockets 1li, 15, and :tor this purpose as herein shown, the side wall oi each rsocket is orovided with a stationar section 19 and with a movable section 2O which cooperate to iorm practically a continuous wall for said socket. The ii ovable section 2O of uthe socket wall is preferably made as a block ot substantial thickness which slides in an opening or slot 21 between the ends of the stationary section of the side wall, and which cowoperates with the end oi the intermediate member 1S to clamp it against the stationary section 19.

Each clamping member 2U is provided with `a hole 22 through which a clamping bolt 211 may be extended to pass through a preformed hole in the end of the intermediete member 1S and through a hole in a boss 26 Vextended 'from theV stationary member 19 ci Athe socket side wall and located diametrically opposite the hole in the clamping member or section 2t) when thelatter occupies its operative clamping position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4t.

In the present instance, the clamping member 2O is provided with lugs 28 between which'the head 29 of the clamping bolt is received, and the lugs 28 serve to prevent rotation of the bolt when the clamping nut 30 upon the threaded end of the bolt is screwed up against the end of the boss 26 in the operation o't clamping the member 2O against the end of the intermediate member 18.

In practice it is preferred to employ a standard construction ot clamping bolt and nut commercially known as the O K. bolt, which is capable of compensating for shrink age in the intermediate member 18 (when the latter is oi' wood), to the end that the clamping member 2O may be maintained in irm engagement with the intermediate member 1S. i

When the invention is embodied in an insulating rail support adapted 'for use in supporting third or live rails, the intermediate member 18 comprises preferably a cylindrical pin oi wood which `is dipped in paraiiin to render it weather-resistant.

The cylindrical torni ot the insulating Al t) nieniber enables the latter toV be inade at :i inininiuin cost.. it is also preferred to provide the .insulating nieinber with metal luishings tor "he clan'ipine' bolts 2st.

Provision is inade for securing,` the rail to be supported in. operative position upon the cap ineinber l0, and for this purpose as herein shown the cap ineinber 10 is provided with a pair oi rail-eneaging;r nieinbers coinprising preili'erably hooks 43st), rEhe hook 4l() is torined integrally with the cap i'neinber l0 and is adapted to hook over one flange ot the base et the rail. The hook 4l is reniovably secured to the cap ineinber, and as herein shown is provided with a shank Lli extended between the arnis ot a yoke upon the cap incrnber and held .in a railenga-ateine, position by a heavy Cotter pin t5 elitend'ng; through holes of 'the rrins ot the yoke and through a hole in the shank it of the nook lll, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2.

rlhe cap nieinber lO is also provided with a petticoet or shield t7 tor shedding` rainwater away troni the interinediaa'ge ineinber 1S.

Frein the description thus t'ar it will be observed that the present construction ot rail support is sin'iple and inafv be inanutectured at niiniinuin cost. The cylindrical sockets let, l5 perniit the use et the simplest and inost inexpensive torni ot insulating); pin or ineinber 1S, thereby reducing the cost o t inaiurtaoture ot the rail supnort in this respect. rlhe intcrniediate or insulating inelubers 18 may be inade ot uniloriu lenfrth and co-operate with the bottoni walls et tue sockett` in the cap and base inenibers l0, i2 respectively', so that when the rail supports are assembled the caps l() thereot are all located at a uniform height above the itoundation upon which the rail .fi-afipports are inounted.

It will also be obsewed that the clamping bolt Qd extending@y through the insulating nieinber 18 aliords a rigid and drrable connection between the insult-tingI nieinber and the cap and base, thus insuring a rigid and unitary construction et rail support. lhe manner in which the ends ot the intel-niediate or insulating' nieinber 'i8 are secured within the sockets lele, 'l5 enables a stock tasteningg,- device in the torni et an O K bolt 'for automatically l'zaking` up the shrink:` je in the wooden insulatingv niend er to be used. This not only serves to maintain the insulating ineinber tightly clamped in the sockets, but also enables this to be done at ininin'uun inanutacturiiur expense.

lVhile the preferred einbodinient o'lt the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention nniy be embodied. in other torins within the scope ot the 'tollowino' clainis.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

l. In a rail support, in combination, a cap member and a base nieinber, each provided with a socket havingl a bottoni wall and a side wall provided with a stationary and a inovable section, an intermediate inc nber interposed between said ca p and base inernbers and having` its opposite ends inserted into said sockets and cooperating' with the bottoni walls thereof, and bolts extended through said intermediate uieniber and cooperating` with the niovable sections ot said socket walls to clainp the ends of said intermediate ineinber againsty the stationary seetions ot' said socket walls.

2. ln a rail support, in combination, a cap ineinber and a base member, each provided with a cylindrical socket haringa bottoni well and a side wall, the latter having a stationary and a inovable section, an interniedia'te ineinlier having cylindrical ends inserted into said sockets, and co-operating with the bottoni walls there-ot, and bolts e3;- tended through said intern'iediate ineinber and co-operating with the movable sections oit said socket walls to clamp the ends ot' said intermediate ineniber against the stationary sections oi said socket walls.

In a rail support, in combination, a cap ineniber and a base ineiuber, each provided Vwith a socket havin@ a bottoni wall and a side wall provided with a stationary and a, movable section, an intermediate ineinber interposed between said cap and base ineinbers and having its opposite ends inserted into said sockets and co-opcratinpl with the bottoni walls thereot, niet-al bushings in said intermediate ineinber, and bolts exteiuled through said bushings and intermediate nieinber and cooperating' with the inovalile sections ot said socket walls to clainp the ends ot said intermediate nieinber agains the stationary sections oit said socket walls.

it. ln a rail support, in combination, a cap ineinber and a base nieniber, one olc said ii ienibei's having a socket provided with a bottoni wall, an intermediate ineinber interposed between said cap and base members and extended into said socket, a movable clai'nping nieniber co-operatingl with the side ot said intermediate nieniber, and a bolt cooperatingl with said clampingI nieinber and extended through said intermediate nieniber.

5. In a rail support, in combination, a cap ineinber and a base ineniber, each provided with a cylindrical socket having a bottoni wall and a side wall, the latter havingr a stationary section and a movable section, an intermediate cylindrical insulating;l nieniher having its ends extended into said sockets and provided with transverse openings, and bolts extended through said traiisvcrse openings and eoanierating with the movable and stationary sections oit said socket walls to elainp the insulating i'neinber between thein.

In testimony whereof, I have signed niy naine to this specification.

ARTHUR L. BUTLER.

lili) 

